September is National Biscuit Month! Who knew? Probably VTLA President Vaden Warren.

“I started making biscuits years ago. My mother makes great biscuits and at first I used her angel biscuit recipe. Over the years I’ve drifted to a more Southern biscuit. What’s really nice about these is that they only require a few ingredients. For the past 5-10 years I’ve made them most weekends and for all kinds of events. While there are many ways to make biscuits, here’s how I do it.”

Want to be like Vaden? Get his special recipe here! (And follow Vaden and his biscuits from all seasons on Instagram.)

Virginia Lawyers Weekly has announced the Leaders in the Law and Up & Coming Lawyers Class of 2023. Congratulations to all, and especially our VTLA members:

• Carla D. Brown, Charlson Bredehoft Cohen Brown & Nadelhaft, Reston 
• Lauren Ellerman, Frith & Ellerman Law Firm, Roanoke 
• Razan J. Fayez, Fayez Goriup McRae, Fairfax 
• Isaac A. McBeth, Halperin Law Center, Richmond 
• Bill O’Mara, Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers, Norfolk 
• Melissa G. Ray, Nichols Zauzig, Woodbridge 
• Stephanie M. Sauer, The Geller Law Group, Fairfax 
• Julia A. Yolles, The Havrilak Law Firm, Fairfax 

Up & Coming Lawyers from VTLA:

• Veronica Holmes, The Geller Law Group, Fairfax 
• Brooke Taylor, Reinhardt Harper Davis, Richmond 

VTLA is proud of the following members who were named in Virginia Business Magazine's 2023 Virginia 500 list for the law:

• Jeffrey A. Breit, Breit Biniazan, Virginia Beach
• John P. Fishwick Jr., Fishwick & Associates, Roanoke
• Chidi I. James, Blankenship & Keith, Fairfax
• Monica T. Monday, Gentry Locke, Roanoke
• T. Vaden Warren Jr., The Warren Firm, Charlottesville

What is this list? It’s like the Fortune 500, but instead of companies, it’s about people, they explain. It is a list, selected by the magazine editors, of Virginia’s 500 most powerful leaders across 19 major sectors, including the law. The Virginia 500 is not an award or an endorsement; it’s simply a recognition that a person holds a position of power and influence. Congratulations to all, and again, especially these members of the VTLA family.

Knowing Your Role: How Best to Prepare Your Attorney for Court – September 28, 12–1 PM

Amongst all the duties and responsibilities you have as a paralegal, one of the more important tasks is preparing your attorney for court. But what about the court's perspective? Is your attorney truly prepared? Attend this webinar and hear directly from a sitting judge! The Hon. Stacy Lee will guide you on those matters that really do count and on how to avoid making your attorney look bad in the eyes of the court. Free to any VTLA member! Register here!

Paralegal Leadership election

If you are interested in serving as the next Paralegal Secretary, please send an email with your headshot and a few sentences about why you are interested in the position to kparrish@vtla.com. The deadline to put your name in for consideration is October 11th.

VTLA has been blessed with the wisdom, knowledge, grace, laughter and friendship of Mandy Burnett at our side for 30 years this month! Thank you, Mandy, for guiding our governmental affairs work for these decades and we look forward to even more exciting times ahead. Click here to read what just a few folks had to say to congratulate Mandy!

Who doesn’t want to win a great prize? It’s so simple - recruit a new member into the VTLA family and you both win!

By joining now, new members have an active membership for the rest of this year and all of 2025. Be sure to tell them to use your name in the “referred by” line on their application.

Every time you recruit a new member, you help strengthen VTLA and you get your name put into the hat for one of 6 great prizes (a soft cooler day pack, chef knife, gift cards and more!). A vital and growing membership means improved networking opportunities and strengthens our work to ensure the best judicial system for all Virginians. Recruit a new member - or two!

Details HERE

About 45 prosecutors, criminal defense attorneys, judges and others met last week to discuss in-depth issues that could improve the criminal justice system. Sound too lofty? Well, at the end of two days, seven change proposals were agreed upon. Several other issues were debated in depth and sent for further study.

At the end of the Conference, the list of possible study ideas for 2024 exceeded 25 and the steering committee will whittle the ideas down to a manageable number. VTLA presented plaques to outgoing co-chairs Nate Green, Commonwealth's Attorney from Williamsburg/James City County, and Jim Grandfield, Suffolk Public Defender.

VTLA is proud to sponsor the Conference and a number of our members are part of this important work. Thanks to all involved!

We have so much to offer this fall - traditional, new twists and new programs for your own personal back-to-school!

• Traditional: our annual Family Law Seminar is this Thursday.
• New Twist: VTLA’s Sources of Coverage on October 26th is a must-see for every personal injury attorney in the state and it has been overhauled. In this seminar, some of Virginia's best will show you where to find coverage for your client's injuries - ways that didn't even exist the last time we held this program five years ago! You will also receive a treatise that you absolutely must have on your desk.
• New: In cooperation with VADA, we are presenting a free ethics hour webinar on October 10 with Tom Curcio for VTLA, John Owen for VADA and moderated by McCammon Mediator The Hon. Michael Allen. Don’t miss this entertaining and informative ethics hour! And FREE for members of VTLA and VADA.
• More New: Do you have student loan debt? Are you planning ahead for your children? As you've heard, those loan payments start again next month. Hear advice from Courtney Weiner with the Law Office of Courtney Weiner in Washington, DC, in our members-only webinar on October 19.

Click here to look at our entire month of opportunities!

October 10 - 12:00 to 1:00

Tired of old boring ethics presentations? Get your ethics credit with this entertaining and informative webinar featuring practical advice for your mediations!

In this VTLA-VADA cooperative program, we are presenting a free ethics hour webinar on October 10 featuring Tom Curcio from VTLA, John Owen from VADA and moderated by McCammon Mediator The Hon. Michael Allen. Don’t miss it! And, it's FREE for members of VTLA and VADA.

1 Hour Ethics CLE pending. Register here!

• Gabriel Assaad
• Ann Gillooly
• Michael Hess
• Mark Kilduff
• Ryan Lopez
• Matthew Moynihan
• Derek Smith
• Adam Ward